


First and Last and Only

by LouPF



Category: Rick and Morty
Genre: M/M, Misunderstandings, Morty's Age Not Stated, POV Morty, POV Third Person, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Rick has a big old crush on Morty and he ain't gonna do anything about it, and the 'free morty' paper, but it was written with that in mind so, if you squint it is, morty is pissed, mutual? maybe :), not necessarily c137cest?, set after S01E10, yknow the one with the citadel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:01:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24697252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LouPF/pseuds/LouPF
Summary: Morty finds the 'one free replacement Morty' slip Rick got at the Citadel. He's not pleased."Which Morty am I, Rick? How many have you killed before me?"
Relationships: Rick Sanchez & Morty Smith, Rick Sanchez/Morty Smith
Kudos: 97





	First and Last and Only

"So, which Morty am I?" Morty leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. He watched Rick carefully, tracing his every move as he turned, tilted his head back, met Morty’s gaze.

"What the, ugh, what the hell are you t - talking about?" he grunted, twirling a screwdriver between worn knuckles. Morty watched that, too.

"I - I’m not s - stupid, Rick," Morty said, pushing away from the frame. He was scowling, he knew, but let Rick fucking know. Let his anger welt off him in waves. "I know you can just - j - just, get a new Morty i - if you want. So wh - wh - which one am I?" He stalked forward as Rick’s jaw fell open, eyes going wide. "N - number two? Three? _F - fuck_ , Rick, how many h - have you killed before me?"

"M - Morty," Rick whispered. The screwdriver fell to the ground. "Y - you fucking idiot, how - how can you say - how can you _say -_ "

And Morty brought forth the damning evidence, whipping the ’free replacement Morty’ slip from his pocket.

"Fuck," said Rick, and stood in his chair. "No, Morty - Morty, Morty, Morty, it’s not - "

"Not wh - what I think, huh?" Morty spat, backing away from him. "Th - the fuck do you th - think you’re _doing_ , I - I - treating me like - like I’m just - just - a piece of fucking _clothing_? Just answer me, damn it, wh - which Morty _am I_?"

"None!" Rick cried, lurching forward to snatch Morty’s wrist, kneeling before him. "None, Morty! You - you’re the first you - you fucking idiot! F - ugh - irst and l - last!"

And Morty wanted to believe him, _had_ to believe him, but - "How - but - " Unable to form words, he aggressively shook the slip in front of Rick’s nose.

"F - fuck, Morty, do you know how well these sell!?" Rick snapped. "L - look, I’m - yeah, there are Ricks who don’t - ugh - who give, like, zero shits about their Mortys, but - " And Morty began struggling against him, trying to get out of his tight grip, snarling like a caged animal. "I sure ain’t one of ’em! Y - you’re _my_ Morty, and th - that’s not gonna change - okay?"

"But," said Morty, weaker now. "But... the slip?"

Sighing heavily, Rick let go of his wrist, sitting heavily down on the floor. "Look, if - Christ, Morty, if I wanted a new Morty I’d just - find one. Take one. I don’t - there’s no _need_ for a slip, that’s for - only the Citadel Ricks have that shit, I don’t care about their - fucking rules or, or _shit_."

Morty frowned, uncertain. "But... I - I’m - your... first?"

"First and, ugh, only, Morty," Rick said, searching his gaze for _something_. "I - I’ve saved you b - before, haven’t I? There’s something, uh, something _special_ about a - an original Rick and Morty, Morty, like - you can’t - it’s not easy to just, rebuild that." He grunted. Took a swig of his flask. "Only, fuck, only Citadel prick Ricks think bullshit like that. M - Morty."

It startled a giggle out of him, and Morty covered his mouth with a hand before glancing over at the slip, which he still held. "So, uh - uh, how much are those - worth, then, Rick?"

"Christ, Morty," said Rick, scratching his head. "Depends on the buyer. A coupla thousand shmeckles, maybe?"

Morty gaped. "Th - that much??"

Rick shrugged. "Some Ricks aren’t, y’know, super fucking careful with their Mortys."

"An... and... you are?"

"Oh, Morty," sighed Rick, giving him a longing look that tore Morty’s heart apart. "You don’t even know h - ugh - half of it." 


End file.
